Wire stretching tool



July 6, 1937. a HUNT 2,086,317

L WIRE STRETCHING-TOOL Filed April 5, 1935 Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES FATE r FFICE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved wire stretching tool which is particularly designed for tightening slackened fence wires or uniting and stretching broken strands.

One object of the invention is to provide a wire stretching tool which may be readily engaged with a fence or other wire at any point along its length for effecting the stretching or tightening thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire stretching tool having a loop which is provided with angularly disposed arms terminating in hooks, which arms are arranged in such a manner that turning of the loop will permit selective engagement of the hooks with the wire at each quarter turn of the loop so that the wire may be drawn very taut with facility and may be held at the desired degree of tautness.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the hooks employed are formed with inclined end walls so that a wire coming in engagement with said hooks may readily slide over the inclined walls and drop into place behind the hooks.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wire stretching tool wherein forceps are employed with the loop, which forceps are provided with a latch for retaining said forceps in position on the loop during the tightening operation.

And the invention has as a still further object to provide a wire stretching tool which may be manufactured cheaply and which will be durable in use.

Other and incidental objects not specifically mentioned hereinbefore will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

In the drawing forming a part of my application:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device as it would appear with a portion of wire twisted on the loop thereof.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view showing the recess formed in one of the jaws of the forceps. I

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing a slightly modified clamping structure for the forceps employed.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral l indicates, in general, a pair of forceps or tongs which comprise companion handle members 2 and 3 pivotally connected near corresponding ends by a pin 4. Combers, indicated at 8 and 9, are bent to project in opposite directions and lie in adjacent arcs so that when the handle members are shifted, the portions 8 and 9 will be disposed in engagement, or in close spaced relation to each other, throughout part of their shifting movement. It will be understood that the bent portions 8 and 9 serve as guides and cooperate with the pin 4 for preventing relative movement of the jaws 5 and 6 during the wire stretching or tightening operation. When the jaws are closed, the portions 8 and 9 provide handles affording sufficient leverage so that turning of the forceps, and the loop carried therein to be hereinafter described, may be readilyeffected. I

Weldedor otherwise secured to the bent portion 8 ofthe handle member 3 is a flat metal U-shaped yoke in which extends freely about the bent portion 9 of the handle member 2. Carried between the arms of the yoke is a latch, shown in general by the numeral H. The latch comprises ahandle l2 which extends between the handle members 2 and 3, and a tapered wedge l3 which is formed with serrated faces M. The latch is mounted in such manner, that, when the handle 12 is shifted, the wedge l3 will be engaged between the portions 8 and 9, so that relative movement of said portions, with consequent lockingof the forceps, will take place. The wedge is mounted on the yoke by means of a pin I5 and is spaced between the arms of the yoke by bushings 16. While, in the present instance, I have shown the yoke as being secured tothe portion 8, it will be understood that it may be just as readily secured to the portion 9.

Normally associated with the forceps is a loop which is indicated generally by the numeral H. The loop is substantially U-shaped and comprises parallel portions l8 and 59 which are connected by a bight 20. As will be seen from the drawing, the bight is normally carried between the jaws 5 and 6, in the recesses l therein, and is adapted to project forwardly from the jaws. The parallel portions l8 and I9 are bent and projected .to

define arms 2| and 22 which are disposed at right angles to each other and terminate in hooks 23 and 24 bent at right angles to the arms and formed with inclined walls or end faces 25 and 26.

In operation, the loop is placed on a length of wire to be tightened or stretched, with the wire extending between the parallel portions l8 and IS. The forceps, which carry the bight of the loop, are tightened so that said loop is effectually confined within the recesses l of the jaws and 6. The end portions 8 and 9 are locked in position by the latch ll so that the forceps will be-effectually locked on the loop. The portions 8 and 9 are then grasped and the forceps and loop twisted for winding the wire about the portions l8 and Hi. When it is desired to lock the loop in any given tightened position, the loop is shifted for permitting the wire, indicated by the numeral 21, to slide over the inclined wall 26 of the hook 24 and engage therebehind for effectually retaining the wire in the desired locked position. When it is desired to further tighten the wire, the loop may again be rotated and the hook 23 engaged with the Wire in the samemanner as the hook 24. Inasmuch as the arms 2| and 22 are disposed at right angles to each other, a wire may be locked at each quarter turn of the loop. This will permit effective tightening of the wire to maximum tautness. After the wire has been properly tightened, the latch I I is shifted for removing the wedge l3 from between the portions 8 and '9 so that said portions may be permitted to shift. By shifting the handle members 2 and 3, the jaws 5 and 6 are opened for freeing the loop therefrom. As the hooks are each provided with an inclined wall, the wire will be permitted to readily slide over the wall and behind the hook without danger of slipping.

Referring now to the modification of the invention as illustrated'in Figure 5 of the drawing, the numerals 28 and 29 indicate companion handle members. The handle member 28 is provided with a series of longitudinally disposed spaced notches 3B which are arcuate in shape and are adapted to receive a bight portion of an elliptical locking loop 3| which is engaged about the members 28 and 29 and is shiftable along said members for locking the same against relative movement when it. is desired to lock the jaws carrying the wire carrying loop during a stretching or tightening operation. Aside from the foregoing modification, the invention operates in a like manner with that of the preferred form.

When it is desired to splice the ends of broken wires, the procedure is as follows: First form a loop on the end portion of the wire disposed to the right hand, holding the forceps in horizontal position with the loop I! therein. The wire to the left hand is then drawn up as tight as convenient and is inserted between the parallel jaws of the forceps and is turned back underneath said forceps. The surplus wire may be cut away and the remainder of the splicing operation is carried on in the same manner as is employed in tightening slack wire.

It is thought that, from the foregoing, it will be understood that I have provided a wire stretching or tightening tool which will be simple in construction and easy to operate, and which may be manufactured to retail at a reasonable figure.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. In a wire stretching tool, a loop having parallel portions connected by a bight, said parallel portions being bent and projected at right angles to each other to define arms terminating in hooks, said loop being adapted to receive a wire between the parallel portions thereof for tightening by rotation of the loop, and one of said hooks engaging the wire after the tightening operation for retaining the wire tightened.

2. In a wire stretching tool, a loop having side portions connected by a bight, said side portions being bent and projected at right angles to define arms terminating in hooks, said hooks being bent at right angles to the arms and being formed with inclined walls and said loop being adapted to receive a strand of wire to be stretched and said wire being stretched by the rotation of the loop on its longitudinal axis, the wire being engageable over the inclined walls and behind one of the hooks for retaining the wire stretched after the stretching operation.

GILBERT O. HUNT. 

